Lundi: Recipes

Fall is a wonderful time to select side dishes that feature root vegetables.  Being Irish-American, at least in part, my favorite by far is the potato.  Humble it may be but it is extremely versatile and very tasty.  The French and my Creole relatives often serve potatoes au gratin, which is basically cooked in milk or cream.  Today’s recipe has the delightful addition of cheese which of course melts and bubbles to the decided enjoyment of both eye and pallet.

1 quart whole milk

3 cloves garlic

1 bunch fresh thyme

10 Yukon gold potatoes

1 cup chunked Gruyere or grated Swiss cheese

Butter to grease baking dish

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and thoroughly butter a two quart baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine milk, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to stand.

Peel potatoes.  Slice the peeled potatoes as thin as you can and overlap the slices at the bottom of your baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a bit of cheese.  Repeat this process until your potatoes are used up, reserving a sprinkling of cheese for the top of the dish.

Strain the milk mixture, discarding the garlic and thyme.  Pour the milk slowly over the potatoes until they are just covered.  Do not fill your baking dish any higher than the last layer of potatoes as the dish may boil over in the oven.

Sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining cheese.  Bake until a knife goes through the potatoes easily and the cheese is golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.  Bon appetite ~

Header: Kitchen at Mount Vernon by Eastman Johnson